News and Blog

In a time of advanced bioengineering and gene-editing technologies, it might seem surprising that one of the most important organisms in genetic research is the fruit fly. Drosophila melanogaster has been a popular model organism in laboratories for over a century, and despite advancements in CRISPR technology and new sequencing methods, the fruit fly has maintained a significant role in genetic research. But why?

Influencer and tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson set a bold goal four years ago: to redefine how we approach health and aging. He developed a system that radically alters his diet, sleep, and exercise routines in an effort to reverse his biological age. Johnson is now years into his one-man project, Blueprint, which includes taking over 110 pills per day, undergoing light and sound therapies, and following a strict sleep regimen—all guided by real-time data and a team of specialized doctors.

Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that slowly erodes memory and cognitive function, has long been one of the most formidable challenges in medicine. With a rapidly growing patient population in the U.S., the impact of Alzheimer’s disease is profound and far reaching.

Not long ago, few outside the medical community had heard of semaglutide and tirzepatide—two drugs in the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist class, approved for diabetes management. The medications work by decreasing caloric intake through mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1 normally released in the gut after eating. The GLP-1 agonists bind to receptors in the brain, pancreas and intestines, which helps to regulate insulin release, lower blood sugar levels, slow down digestion, and reduce appetite.

In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized the fluoridation of drinking water as one of the “ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century.” The practice has reportedly reduced tooth decay in children by 40-70% and tooth loss in adults by 40-60%.

When Angela Haupt, a health and wellness editor at Time Magazine, had nearly two dozen vials of her blood drawn for a health startup, she received eight pages of clinical notes analyzing 105 personalized biomarkers. Did she receive valuable insights predictive of her future health, or an overload of indecipherable data? The answer is debatable. It may depend on who you ask, who is reading the information, and for what purpose. What is certain is that the use of biomarkers in the healthcare industry is expected to grow exponentially.

Vaccines utilizing messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology have been in the news often the past few years, but mRNA vaccines have been under development since the 1990’s. The first clinical trial using ex-vivo human cells began in 2001. The first in-human vaccine trial was initiated in 2008.

Mass tort and class action settlements totaled over $40 billion for the third year in a row. While this number is staggering, unlocking its history provides key considerations to dial back this billion-dollar settlement trend. Mass tort litigation has been a part of the American legal system for decades. Settlements have been the end of a long road of bellwether trials, ultimately resolving the litigation.

Probiotics are skyrocketing in popularity. While they are classified as dietary supplements, probiotics are often being marketed and used to treat symptoms and illnesses despite not having FDA approval, which can lead to safety concerns for consumers.

Beginning in the 1960s, medical facilities, blood banks, and other public providers of blood products began seeing limited statutory protections arise in most states through what has become known as “blood shield laws.”